Without Fear
by Meridian Vase
Summary: Evil has taken another form and threatens to cast the free world into ruin. Legolas and Gimli, with the aid of the other remaining members of the fellowship, will stop at nothing to save their world from falling into darkness again.


**Chapter 1: **An Unsettling Discovery

Gimli tapped his steel clad boots impatiently whilst shooting a vehement glare at the tree beside him. He resisted the urge to tug at his beard with frustration. Gimli did not wish to ruin the plait he had taken great care to weave earlier that morning.

Gritting his teeth, he asked in a deep but gruff voice. "Well?"

Gimli did not receive the response he had wished for. He heard chuckling. The damned elf found all of this to be very amusing. Gimli sighed loudly. He was tempted to give the tree and the elf in it a few hearty thwacks with his axe. It certainly would not improve the situation, but it would relieve some stress at the very least.

"Legolas, would you kindly make haste? If I have to--" Gimli's words were cut short as a slender figure landed in front of him. He swore in surprise.

"If you have to do what, my dear dwarf?" Legolas asked, his tone playful.

Gimli fumed.

"Forget it, you Valar forsaken elf!"

Turning on his heel, he plodded over to the river bank plopping himself onto a tree that had toppled over in its old age. The dead pine served rather conveniently as a makeshift bridge across the river…and also a chair for weary dwarves. He began fingering the haft of his axe as he stubbornly turned his gaze to the opposing shore. It was a poor attempt to ignore the exasperating elf and Gimli knew it. Ignoring the elf became an even more difficult task as Legolas's melodious laughter became louder and more grating on Gimli's ears. Gimli rolled his eyes. _By Mahal if that elf does not shut up... _Gimli glared. Shoving Legolas into the river did not seem like such a bad idea at the moment. His brain suddenly became alive with possible threats and insults to throw at the elf. Some had been said once before, but they were too good to pass up.

Settling on a couple he had not used in awhile, Gimli opened his mouth to speak only to have it snap shut.

His brow furrowed.

He had just seen something bobbing in the water.

Gimli stared fixedly. _What is that? It looks like…hair? No. A head._

"Legolas--"

Legolas immediately cut in, "Do not tell me... I am an empty headed, star smitten, tree loving elf who does not--"

"Yes, yes, yes! You are all those things, but that is not what I was going to tell you. Legolas, _l__ook_!"

He thrust a stubby finger toward the water. Legolas seemed somewhat perplexed by the gesture. Looking over in the general direction Gimli was pointing, Legolas's expression soon became unreadable. With only the swiftness an elf can possess (and perhaps even Aragorn), Legolas's body was in motion as he leaped into the cool water with a loud _**SPLASH!**_ He waded through the dark blue waters only to stop several feet away.

Gimli watched stunned as Legolas brought back the limp form of a woman. He laid her gingerly on the shore, brushing back the black matted hair away from her face.

"A _Haradrim_?" Gimli asked in shock. "What is one, _let alone a woman_, doing this far north?"

"I know not, Master Dwarf."

Gimli leaned over her. He placed two fingers against her throat searching for a pulse. He just needed some sign of life...

He grimaced.

"She's dead." Gimli shook his head slowly. "Looks like she's been dead for more than a couple hours. Poor lass."

No words escaped Legolas's lips. The elf's fair face was completely unreadable but Gimli knew that Legolas's mind was in turmoil. Gimli frowned at the woman. To be drowned must have been a terrible death...

_CA-CAW! CA-CAW!_

Gimli jumped in his skin.

He cast his eyes skyward trying to pinpoint the source of the hideous cries. It belonged to that of a crow. This crow was by far the largest Gimli had ever seen. Gimli felt unease ride up his spine. It was an ill omen of what was to come.

**Review!**

**Author's Note: **Hi, guys! I'm in the process of editing this chapter, so minor details may be changed. ;) Also I promise the chapters will get longer in the future. This was originally part of The Deathless, but another idea popped in my head, so I ran with it. Then of course it didn't fit, so...I was like _BAH!_ It's a new damn story. All criticisms are welcome! :P


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